Effects of Pelvic Exercises on Birth and Incontinence

The Effect of Pelvic Floor Exercises During Pregnancy on Obstetric Outcomes and Urinary Incontinence: A Prospective Randomized Controlled Trial

The Effect of Pelvic Floor Exercises During Pregnancy on Obstetric Outcomes and Urinary Incontinence: A Prospective Randomized Controlled Trial

The study is a randomized controlled trial. It will be conducted at Konya City Hospital between December 2025 and June 2026. A total of 151 primiparous pregnant women will be included in the study (intervention group n=75, control group n=76). The intervention group will receive a pelvic floor exercise program, while the control group will not perform any pelvic floor exercises. Data will be collected using a personal information form, a pre-labor and post-labor follow-up form, and the Michigan Incontinence Severity Index.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Registered in the hospital's prenatal school and actively participating in the 3-day training sessions,
• Aged between 18 and 35 years,
• Between 28 and 30 weeks of gestation,
• Having a singleton and low-risk pregnancy,
• Primiparous (expecting their first birth),
• Voluntarily agreeing to participate by signing the written informed consent form,
• Able to read, understand, and communicate in Turkish.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Those who have previously given birth vaginally or by cesarean section (multiparous women),
• Those with multiple pregnancies,
• Those who conceived through assisted reproductive techniques,
• Those diagnosed with serious obstetric or medical complications during pregnancy (e.g., preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, risk of preterm birth),
• Those with chronic constipation or cough,
• Those who are overweight or obese,
• Those with chronic or recurrent urinary tract infections,
• Those with a history of psychiatric diagnosis or currently receiving psychiatric treatment,
• Those with a diagnosis of or treatment for urinary incontinence,
• Those unable to regularly attend the education sessions or who discontinue the program,